The German' armed forces during WW2 had a lot of Panzer-Divisionen, some named and some just numbered. During the war the numbered Panzer-Divisionen ranged from the 1. to the 27. with the addition of the 178., 179. (reserves), 232., 233. (reserves) and 234. (reserves). Added to these were the named Panzer-Divisionen Clausewitz, Feldherrnhalle 1, Feldherrnhalle 2, Jüterburg, Kempf (W-SS & Heer), Kurmark, Panzer-Lehr and Müncheberg.

This AAR is about a fictious 28. Panzer-Division, created in October 1943 and seeing service either until the end of the war or until it's too weak to continue the fighting.

On September 24th 1943 it was decided to create a new type of Panzer-Division, consisting of the following:

2) consists of one battalion with halftracks and one battalion with trucks and three anti-tank guns.

3) consists of two battalions with trucks and a total of six anti-tank guns.

Each Panzergrenadiär-Regiment also contains six Infanterie-Geschütze (15 cm), twelve FlaK and finally six 8 cm and four 12 cm mortars.

I've still got to think about what will end up in the core formation, but all support units - except during Assault and Defend battles - will come out of the fictious 28. Panzer-Division. During Assault and Defend battles support units may also include heavy tanks and off-map artillery.

This AAR is also meant to be an AAR series that will take its time to be completed, regardless if it takes six months or three years. In other words, no rush on my side to complete it. Also, I'll keep the battle reports much more simple compared to my current AAR series, since this takes up way too much of my time and simply is too complicated. Instead I'll limit the battle reports to just the results, the current core formation and the next battle along with some pics of all the action.

My current AAR series is by the way pretty much finished, only the final assault on Berlin is remaining and that battle will have to wait for the time being. All the other battles have already been played and written down.

I hope you'll also enjoy this AAR series. I know I'll enjoy playing it and writing battle reports about it.

For practical reasons, I've let the motorised panzer-grenadiere be dismounted from their Open Blitz trucks before the battles start.

During Meeting engagement , Advance and Delay missions support units may only be taken out of the 28. Panzer-Division itself, with the addition of close air support when ever this is possible. Other support units, such as heavy tanks, off-map artillery and heavy tank destroyers are only available during Assault and Defend missions.

Immobilised and abandoned enemy vehicles plus abandoned enemy equipment may only be captured when they are either located within the sector controlled by the 28. Panzer-Division or during Decisive victories, when the rest of the enemies forces is presumed to be on the run and unable to destroy abandoned or immobilised equipment.

Vehicles and equipment immobilised or abandoned by the 28. Panzer-Division are also considered lost to the enemy if they end up within the sector controlled by the enemy or during a Decisive defeat, when the rest of the 28. Panzer-Division is presumed to be on the run and unable to destroy abandoned or immobilised equipment.

Due to a virus of some kind, Steel Panther WW2 stopped working and I had to re-install the game again. Thus this campain has to be started all over again, along with all the changes I had made to the OOB.

But just be patient and this campain will be up and running yet again.

For practical reasons, I've let the motorised panzer-grenadiere be dismounted from their Open Blitz trucks before the battles start.

During Meeting engagement , Advance and Delay missions support units may only be taken out of the 28. Panzer-Division itself, with the addition of close air support when ever this is possible. Other support units, such as heavy tanks, off-map artillery and heavy tank destroyers are only available during Assault and Defend missions.

Immobilised and abandoned enemy vehicles plus abandoned enemy equipment may only be captured when they are either located within the sector controlled by the 28. Panzer-Division or during Decisive victories, when the rest of the enemies forces is presumed to be on the run and unable to destroy abandoned or immobilised equipment.

Vehicles and equipment immobilised or abandoned by the 28. Panzer-Division are also considered lost to the enemy if they end up within the sector controlled by the enemy or during a Decisive defeat, when the rest of the 28. Panzer-Division is presumed to be on the run and unable to destroy abandoned or immobilised equipment.

Just a quick list of the abbreviations that I'm going to use on the battle maps, so that those interested can understand what they mean, before I start Battle 1. And to explain it, I thought that a map would be in order.

Stab: Headquarters
GrW(SP)/I: 8 cm Selfpropelled mortars of the 1st battalion
Grw/II: 8 cm mortars of the 2nd battalion
sGrW/II: 12 cm mortars of the 2nd battalion
1./I: 1st company of the 1st battalion
2./I: 2nd company of the 1st battalion
3./I: 3rd company of the 1st battalion
4.(s)/I: 4th (heavy) support company of the 1st battalion, consisting of Sd.Kfz. 251/9 halftracks.
5./II: 5th company of the 2nd battalion
6./II: 6th company of the 2nd battalion
7./II: 7th company of the 2nd battalion
8.(PaK)/II: 8th (heavy) support company of the 2nd battalion, consisting of anti-tank guns
9.(FlaK): 9th (heavy) company, consisting of 20 mm anti-aircraft guns

The vehicle numbers of the StuG III tank destroyers should be logical and easy to understand.

These are the core units, the support units will be presented when Battle 1 is started, together with the battle map.

Battle Report:
The first battle was a clear German’ victory, with the Soviet’ taskforce losing 91 tanks and armoured vehicles and being forced into a rapid retreat, constantly perused by the German infantry. The Soviet’ high command however reacted quickly and within days, before the German’ forces could replace losses, launched a massive counterattack, which soon forced the German’ commander to order a tactical retreat, since it was clear early on that the battle couldn’t be won. Most of the mobile units managed to retreat successfully but the slow infantry paid a heavy price in terms of losses, with many of the infantry companies practically being wiped out down to the very last man. But their heroic actions made sure that the rest of the German’ taskforce could retreat successfully and also forced the battle into a draw. Thus the battle of Pyatikhatki turned out to be a minor German’ victory, with parts of the sector still in German’ hands after the battle was over.

Replacing losses:
Pz.Jäg.Abt. 149 - The 6 surviving crews without vehicles were given new StuG III Ausf. G, increasing the total strength of the unit to 20 tank destroyers.
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 149, II Battalion - Only parts of the infantry, parts of 3./I, were replaced, as were some of the halftracks.
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 149, II Battalion - The infantry lost was fully replaced, together with the 8.(PaK), which was given 3 captured 7,62 cm anti-tank guns, and the 9.(FlaK), where the only surviving crew was given a new 2 cm FlaK 30.
Captured equipment - The KV-1 M1942, T-34/76E M1942 and T-34/76 M1943 were all pressed into service and renamed KW-1 “1031”, T-34 “1032” and T-34 “1033“. The KV-1 was rebuilt by the workshop company and fitted with a KwK 42 from a severely battle damaged Panther D and with the commander’s cupola from a destroyed PzKpfw IV Ausf. H before being put into service.

Battle Report:
In the beginning of the battle the Soviet’ taskforce seemed to slowly but surely get the upper hand, but gradually - one by one - the Soviet’ tanks were destroyed. However the air attacks caused unnecessary losses among the German’ halftracks and also crippled one of the captured T-34 tanks. But towards the end, although not the entire front was under German’ control, the battle ended with a German’ victory and with the loss of 95 tanks and almost 1.000 men for the Soviet’ forces. The most dangerous tanks, the three KV-85, were successfully eliminated by the captured and rebuild KV-1. The heavy support halftracks also managed to destroy a few armoured cars and scored their very first kills since the baptism of fire for the 28. Panzer-Division.

Replacing losses:
Pz.Jäg.Abt. 149 - The tank destroyer battalion was given 3 additional StuG III Ausf. G, bringing the total strength of the unit to 21 vehicles, 7 in each company.
”Beutepanzer-Kompanie” - The surviving crew of the knocked out T-34/76E M1942 was given a T-34/76 M1943, also named ”1032”. The other two captured T-34/76 M1943 and the SU-76M were also put into service and named ”1034”, ”1035” ”1036” respectively, bringing the total strength of the captured tank company to a total of 6 vehicles.
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 149, I Battalion - All the infantry companies were totally rebuild from scratch with fresh troops, equipped with the new handheld Panzerfaust anti-tank weapon. However, no halftracks were replaced.
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 149, II Battalion - The infantry battalions losses during the battle were replaced with new soldiers, still equipped with the old Panzerwurfmine L.
Parts of Heeres FlaK Artillerie-Abteilung 149 - The two remaining anti-aircraft guns were finally replaced together with fresh crews.

Battle Report:
The two combat actions of Krivoy Rog, Ukraine, were fought against a very tough opposition, but good leadership and good tactics combined with well-timed and well-planned artillery and mortar support turned out to be the key to a clear tactical victory, especially the second of the two actions, where the Soviet’ taskforce was wiped out completely, except for a handful men and a few pieces of equipment.

These combat actions also proved the 28, Panzer-Division as a competent and powerful fighting force in its own right and giving it more respect among the other Wehrmacht formations on the Eastern Front. They have also started ”producing” the first top scoring tank ace crews of the unit, with the five best of these having scored 82 out of the total 190 confirmed kills of the Pz.Jäg.Abt 149.

Replacing losses:
Pz.Jäg.Abt. 149 - The sole surviving crew of the two knocked out StuG III was given a new tank destroyer and four additional vehicles complete with crews were also delivered, bringing the total strength of the tank destroyer battalion up to 24 vehicles, 8 in each company.
”Beutepanzer-Kompanie” - The crew of the knocked out T-34/76 M1943 were given the captured KV-85, also named ”1034” after battle 4 and was able to put in good use in battle 5.
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 149, I Battalion - Most of the infantry was fully replaced and also some of the halftracks.
Panzergrenadier-Regiment 149, II Battalion - Most of the infantry lost was fully replaced, as were the 82 mm mortars replaced by 120 mm mortars, increasing the range of the taskforces own fire support and making it less dependent on the 15 cm sIG 33 support guns.

I’ll report the progress one in-game month at a time and keep it even more simple than the last time, due to the fact that I was forced to interrupt a second time and want to keep it time-saving as possible.

The first battle has already been played, so the first report shouldn’t be that far away in time.

Captured equipment:
3 T-34C M1943 & 1 KV-1C M1942, which all were pressed into service with the 28. Panzer-Division.

Replacing losses:-Pz.Jäg.Abt. 149: Both tank destroyers with crews lost were fully replaced-6./II, Pz.Reg. 149: Due to impressive combat record for the month of September, the unit had all of its old Panther Ausf. D replaced with the newer and improved Panther Ausf. A.-8.(PaK)/II: The destroyed 5,7 cm anti-tank gun was replaced with another captured Soviet' 5,7 mm anti-tank gun from the huge stockpiles in the rear area, together with a fresh crew.-9.(FlaK): The destroyed 2 cm FlaK 30 was replaced with a fresh one straight from the factory.-Infantry: All the losses suffered by the infantry were fully replaced with fresh troops.